Wanderings in South America, the North-West of the United States, and the Antilles, in the years 1812, 1816, 1820, and 1824. With original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, &c. for cabinets of natural history / By Charles Waterton.

  • Waterton, Charles, 1782-1865.
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Wanderings in South America, the North-West of the United States, and the Antilles, in the years 1812, 1816, 1820, and 1824. With original instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, &c. for cabinets of natural history / By Charles Waterton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    preserve tlie skin, and the wourali poison was resorted to as the easiest death. Of all animals, not even the toad and tortoise excepted, this poor ill-formed creature is the most tenacious of life. It exists long after it has received wounds which would have destroyed any other animal; and it may be said, on seeing a mortally wounded sloth, that life disputes with death every inch of flesh in its body. The Ai was wounded in the leg, and put down on the floor, about two feet from the table ; it contrived to reach the leg of the table, and fastened itself on it, as if wishful to ascend. But this was its last advancing step : life was ebbing fast, though imperceptibly ; nor could this singular production of nature, which has been formed of a texture to resist death in a thousand shapes, make any stand against the wourali poison. First, one fore-leg let go its hold, and dropped down motionless by its side; the other gradually did the same. The fore-legs having now lost their strength, the sloth slowly doubled its body, and placed its head betwixt its hind-legs, which still adhered to the table ; but when the poison had affected these also, it sunk to the ground, but sunk so gently, that you could not distinguish the move- ment from an ordinary motion ; and had you been ignorant that it was wounded with a poisoned arrow, you would never have suspected that it was dying. Its mouth was shut, nor had any froth or saliva collected there. K 2 First Journey.